FG gets €94m EU support for water, sanitation programme

The Minister/Deputy Chairman, National Planning Commission, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman, on Thursday on behalf of the Federal Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the implementation of the 10th European Development Fund supportfor Water supply and Sanitation Sector Reform Programme in Nigeria.
The 10th EDF is a Phase II programme for six focal states in Nigeria.
The states are Anambra, Cross River, Jigawa, Kano, Osun and Yobe.
Speaking at the event, Usman said that the Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Reform Programme was conceived to contribute to poverty reduction, sustainable development and the achievement of the water and sanitation related MDGs Goals 1, 4 and 7c, through improved governance in the Water and Sanitation Sector.
Usman further stated that the Phase 1 of the programme, which was implemented under the 9th EDF in the afore mentioned focal states, ended in June 2011, with a total project cost of 120 million Euros.
He said that the EU had contributed 94 million Euros and the beneficiary states and local governments contributing 26 million Euros.
Accordingly, the Minister added that WSSSRP II aims at consolidating the achievements of the predecessor project, WSSRP 1, with a view to addressing the remaining, fundamental weaknesses of the Nigerian water sanitation sector and providing adequate legal and institutional framework for water governance at state level.
The Financing Agreement of the WSSSRP II was signed in June 2012, with a budget of 94,000,000 Euros.
Of this amount, the EDF contribution is 80,000,000 Euros, while 13,000,000.00 Euros will be contributed by the beneficiary state and local governments and UNICEF’s contribution in the programme is 1,000,000.00 Euros.
The duration of the programme is 84 months, 60 of which are for implementation and the remaining 24 months will constitute the closing period.
The MOU will commit both the National Authorising Office and the six state governments to the reform of the water and sanitation sector in Nigeria in continuation of the WSSSRP 1 co-financing, with the sharing formula as ratio 70: 30 (EU 70, Local 30) and also provide adequate budget for the sector’s activities within the States and for the WSSRP 11, in particular.
The minister promised to work even harder to ensure that the country continues to gain the confidence of its development partners, as they judiciously and transparently deploy donor funds as they become available.
The Governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke, who spoke on behalf of the focal states, pledged their commitment to the implementation of the project and also said that for them, partnering with the EU has brought about successful result for their citizens.
Imoke vowed that his state and other states such as Anambra will do all within their reach to ensure that they achieve more MDGs goals come 2015.